user
Can you help with this?

Explain what a computer algorithm is.

assistant
A computer algorithm is a set of instructions that are encoded into a program for a computer to follow in order to solve a problem or process data. An algorithm is a step-by-step procedure that can be followed to reach a desired outcome. It is important because it helps computers to complete complex tasks efficiently and quickly. It also provides a structure which allows developers to easily debug and modify algorithms to improve their performance.